Caserta

Sister cities

• Aley
• Maringá
• Pitești

History

Anciently inhabited by Osco-Samnite tribes, modern Caserta was established around the defensive tower built in Lombard times by Pando, Prince of Capua. Pando destroyed the original city around 863. The tower is now part of the Palazzo della Prefettura that was once the seat of the counts of Caserta, as well as a royal residence. The original population moved from Casertavecchia (former bishopric seat) to the current site in the sixteenth century. Casertavecchia was built on the Roman town of Casa Irta, meaning "home village located above" and later contracted as "Caserta". The city and its vicinity were the property of the Acquaviva family, who, being pressed by huge debts, sold all the land to King Charles VII of Naples. The royal family then selected Caserta for the construction of their new palace which, being inland, was seen as more defensible than the previous palace fronting the Bay of Naples. At the end of World War II, the royal palace served as the seat of the Supreme Allied Commander. The first Allied war trial took place there in 1945; German general Anton Dostler was sentenced to death and executed nearby, in Aversa. Pope Francis visited Caserta on Monday, 28 June 2014, together with a friend named Giovanni Traettino, the pastor of an evangelical Protestant Charismatic Pentecostal church. The Pope apologized for the complicity of some Catholics in the persecution of Pentecostals during the fascist regime in Italy.

Geography

Caserta is located north of Naples. Its municipality borders with Capua, Casagiove, Casapulla, Castel Morrone, Curti, Limatola (BN), Maddaloni, Marcianise, Recale, San Felice a Cancello, San Marco Evangelista, San Nicola la Strada, San Prisco, Sant'Agata de' Goti (BN), Santa Maria Capua Vetere, and Valle di Maddaloni. *Casertavecchia - the ancient centre of the comune and former bishopric seat *San Leucio resort - seat of famous Royal silk workshops, also is included in the World Heritage List *Vaccheria - which housed the stable of the Royal cattle *Falciano - a former bishop seat that includes a sixteenth-century palace *Piedimonte di Casolla - has an ancient Benedictine abbey, built over a Roman temple dedicated to the goddess Diana *Other "": Aldifreda, Briano, Casola, Casolla, Centurano, Ercole, Garzano, Mezzano, Pozzovetere, Puccianiello, Sala di Caserta, San Benedetto, San Clemente, Santa Barbara, Staturano, Tredici, Tuoro

Most-observed species

• Eurasian Magpie

  Pica pica (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  268
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  264
• Hooded Crow

  Corvus cornix Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  254
• Eurasian Blackcap

  Sylvia atricapilla (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  210
• Rock Pigeon

  Columba livia J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  208
• European Robin

  Erithacus rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  196
• Eurasian Blue Tit

  Cyanistes caeruleus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  191
• Great Tit

  Parus major Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  190

Most recent

• M 4.5 — 2026-07-31
  0 km WSW of Torre Caracciolo, Italy
• M 4.4 — 2026-07-24
  5 km W of Pizzone, Italy
• M 4.1 — 2026-05-21
  2 km E of Procida, Italy
• M 6 — 2026-03-09
  16 km SSE of Sant'Angelo, Italy
• M 4.7 — 2026-02-21
  5 km WSW of Licinella-Torre di Paestum, Italy
• M 4.1 — 2025-11-18
  16 km ESE of Ventotene, Italy